Testing 10 on second drive

Hi, I've just re-installed Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit and all the updates (which I am happy with) and cloned it too another drive on the same PC, thinking I could then upgrade that drive to Windows 10, to try it. What I hadn't allowed for is that the cloned drive has been lettered 'B' and I can't re-letter it whist existing 'C' drive is there.

So my question is, if I re-letter existing 'C' drive or remove it, will the new 'B' drive automatically take over or will I be asking for trouble. Any suggestions to get around this situation and test out 10 without just installing it on 'C' and relying on the switch-back would be much appreciated...

My suggestion would be to download and install EasyBCD (scroll down for the free version). This will allow you to identify the two drives and boot to either one.
After you have it setup I'd also install it to the other drive.

Then if you want to keep the swap files from interfering with each other you can use this registry hack (apply to both boots) to hide the non-booted drive from use.

Note: you'll apply the registry fix as shown on the original drive (Changing the E: to what ever drive letter your system assigns to the non-booted drive). Then boot into the cloned drive and apply it again with the appropriate drive letter.

Once this is done the booted drive will show as C: in both setups!

This is what File Explorer looks like on my Dual Boot Win 10/7 laptop when booted into Win 7:LaptopWin7.JPG

Hi, What I have done at this point based on mrjimphelps reply, is disconnected existing drive whereupon Windows re-lettered the drive to C: but I then had to F8 and tell it to look for the Boot manager on the new hard drive.

However I shall be studying your reply with a view to going down that road...

Thanks

Originally Posted by RetiredGeek

G.W.,

My suggestion would be to download and install EasyBCD (scroll down for the free version). This will allow you to identify the two drives and boot to either one.
After you have it setup I'd also install it to the other drive.

Then if you want to keep the swap files from interfering with each other you can use this registry hack (apply to both boots) to hide the non-booted drive from use.

Note: you'll apply the registry fix as shown on the original drive (Changing the E: to what ever drive letter your system assigns to the non-booted drive). Then boot into the cloned drive and apply it again with the appropriate drive letter.

Once this is done the booted drive will show as C: in both setups!

This is what File Explorer looks like on my Dual Boot Win 10/7 laptop when booted into Win 7:LaptopWin7.JPG